What motivates you in your work, in your service, in your relationships? - Daily Reflections January 12,2015

THE TIME OF FULFILLMENT

 

John had been arrested. The voice of the one who cried out in the wilderness had been silenced. Soon, he also would be executed. The precursor had bowed out of the running. His mission was done. Could we say that his cause was also done for?

         But no sooner had John been imprisoned, and Christ, whom he had introduced, began His ministry in earnest. He began by calling and forming individuals to ministry. He called them while deep in human work in order to burrow deeper into Godly work. The precursor might have gone away from the scene, but the cursor, the real runner, was very much in form.

         John never talked about fulfillment. He only talked about being filled while running on empty. “He must increase but I must decrease.” He had an empty tank and his engine was running on low maintenance fuel: wild locusts and honey.

       Every one of us dreamed at some point in our lives about being great, being well known, being popular, and being sought after. We Filipinos definitely have it in our genes to follow our collective star complex. Just look at how many fall in line to get a shot at his or her five minutes of fame at Eat Bulaga (a local noontime show). I know of people who are updated about the latest news on every celebrity in Philippine showbiz.

       Ordinary time has once more set in. It is best described as, well, ordinary. Ordinary means commonplace, regular, the usual, and not the stupendous, the glorious, the marvelous, and definitely not the super whatever. Ordinary time opens with an ordinary man with ordinary plebeian and Spartan tastes — John. The supporting actors are ordinary fishermen, deep in work, called to do the Work that God Himself has given to His Son. And all that was required was obedience.

         They obeyed. They were filled with zeal. The time of fulfillment has begun! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: What motivates you in your work, in your service, in your relationships?

 

Purify my motivations, Lord, in whatever I do, so that in all things, only You may be glorified.